Beauty of the Wild
by LaStranger
Summary: Veela!Harry/Hermione. 'Mates' and 'The Golden Trio Return to Hogwarts' theme. Bitten by a quarter Veela, Harry Potter had the unfortunate experience of being injected with its lethal poison. Now, he has to deal with the changes.
1. Humanity is expendable

**Disclaimer**: I know you know that I don't own Harry Potter. And no, there won't be any other single disclaimer in the whole story. Deal with it.

* * *

-Prologue-

Humanity is expendable

* * *

Malfoy maintained his stance, albeit a bit shakenly. The bigotry-laced mask that had been conditioned into as the son of a Death Eater was gone and twisted in what could possibly pure fear and indecision. Not even a trace of that trade sneer that Harry had grown to hate after years of cohabiting under Hogwarts' roof was visible. But despite Malfoy's new pathetic look, Harry couldn't help but stare at him as if he were a writhing insect that had been stuck under his shoe.

Malfoy had attacked him from behind. After the fateful battle between him and Voldemort, this prat had tried to use his exhaustion in his favor to take him out. To what end? He wasn't sure, but his actions were more than enough for him to seriously consider what to do with the arrogant blond bending on his knees in front of him.

Harry's wand was pressed fiercely against the blond's skin, at the level of his trachea and yet Malfoy still wouldn't shut up.

"Give my wand, Potter," he sneezed in a deceptively smooth voice, his eyes shifting from Harry's glaring emerald orbs to the wand he was being threatened by at the moment, clearly recognizing it as his old one. "I wasn't going to hurt you! I just want my wand."

"Bollocks!" Harry nearly yelled, catching the attention of his standing allies. He could see Hermione's head jerk in his direction, being the closest of the bunch. "That definitely wasn't a simple Expelliarmus, Malfoy- I don't know why you bother when I can recall that particular curse being cast by your little friends here." Just to make a point, he turned his chin sideways, if only slightly as to not lose sight of him.

It was clear who he was referring to since the Light had been victorious over the Dark, albeit not without some serious casualities.

"Just what are you trying to do? Last I saw you, you were fleeing along with your parents," a scornful expression revealed what he thought about that particular fact. "You know what this means, don't you? You just ruined every chance of being pardoned, Malfoy."

"Just give me the bloody wand, Potter." The blond's gaze recoiled at the harsh tone, yet his voice remained even. His hands clenched in raw emotion as he stared head on into the Chosen One's eyes.

"Oh, yeah? Which one?"

"Potter…"

"Ferret," was his cheeky reply.

His taunt seemed to further incense the young Malfoy heir as his face crunched in effort at being physically still. Any front he had tried to put on was long gone. "Bugger off, you insufferable prat! Just give my fucking wand! My original wand, the one you stole from me!"

A low murmuring erupted around them. Aurors were surely analyzing their every move by now, like hawks hovering over prey. Draco shrunk slightly before straightening again; his expression eased into another blank mask, though his eyes were two smoldering grey gems.

"I didn't steal it," Harry said softly, "You know this as much as I do: I won its loyalty fair and square. When I wield it, it doesn't seem to hesitate to do what I want it to do. It isn't yours, not anymore. You're crying over spilt milk, Malfoy."

In the distance, people awaited the following events to unfold. Not another breath was taken as the Man Who Conquered glared down at his foe.

Harry had never felt more self-conscious than in that moment. He wanted to slink away, from anything that resembled people and their expectations. Regardless of Malfoy's crimes, he didn't want to be the one to end his life. He didn't want to play God anymore.

His role was fulfilled. This day had seen the end of the prophecy. He just wanted to be left alone.

His indecision made time stretch indefinitely; the tense silence was so condemning that the sounds of sprinting could be heard like the boom of a cannon echoing in Harry's ears. With the rest of the Death Eaters already having been taken down in full body binds, the remaining Malfoys could only gape at the situation their son had dug his way into.

Out of the two, Lucius was the one who looked the most lost. The elder Malfoy had never bore an expression like that in his presence. Narcissa was another thing entirely: her eyes appeared to be fixed on the unforgiving stance Harry was giving her son. Something dangerous flashed in her eyes and the glint was so distracting that his attention wavered for a split of second.

Apparently, Malfoy noticed and took advantage of the moment to reach forward to snatch away his former wand.

That amazing display of speed took Harry aback, but not even the weariness in his bones, product of too much magic drain, prevented him from rolling away from harm as Draco fired a silent curse in his direction.

A startled yell reached his ears, "Harry!" but didn't bother to recognize it, as he had to move again, else be blasted into the dirt. And so, the Chosen One's fingers wrapped themselves around the elderberry wood of the Elder Wand, with every intent of using it in his promptu fight against Draco.

However, he couldn't find enough time to do so, as a figure with wild hair pushed him to the ground, rolling down the mountain of dirt and debris.

Harry shut his eyes to shield them from the soil, reluctantly following the other's descend as they crashed down the hill. He took note of the way their hands held him by the sides, as if wanting to protect him from the brunt of the fall, cataloguing them as non-hostile immediately. But it was only once they had finished their descend that he could glimpse who had tackled him all of the sudden.

To his shock, all he could see was the determined expression of one of his best friends, Hermione Granger. Only that she wasn't even glancing in his direction, but staring unwaveringly at the person crouching menacingly over them- in the exact same spot Harry had been not so long ago.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but surely seeing the obsidian eyes of Narcissa Malfoy as she snarled at them wasn't it. She had always been the picture of elegance, even in her most trying moments; there was no hint of that woman now.

"I can't believe it," Hermione whimpered as she caught glance of the piercing fangs the Malfoy matriarch exposed through her lifted lips. Her hissing bordered in demonic. "Oh, how didn't I see it sooner?" she lamented. The witch was clutching one of his hands, driving him away as slowly as she dared. Any faster than this would set the creature off.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Harry could see the exact moment Malfoy crept away from the scene, but didn't act on his first urge to apprehend him. He was too close to Narcissa for that.

"What, Hermione?" Harry whispered back, following suit and staring steadily at the abnormal display in front of him. He recognized the horror in her friend's tone and could only hope they weren't doomed enough for them not to maneuver around the danger like they typically did when they stumbled across high-risk situations.

"She's a Veela, Harry. She's a bleeding Veela."

As if in confirmation, Narcissa roared at Harry, eyes locked with the object in his hand. The Elder Wand visibly glowed in response, the magic it always exuded increasing in potency as if it actually acknowledged the threat.

Narcissa recoiled slightly before advancing towards them, the duo desperately backing away from the half-crazed woman.

"Don't let her catch you, i-if she does she will turn you into threads!"

"Okay!"

"Also, beware of her speed and fangs! Her fangs are poisonous. If she bites you, it's game over!" Hermione yelled-whispered into his ear.

This time Harry only nodded, wondering if someone was going to help them subdue the Veela or if that was both of the Malfoys being captured. As much as he loathed Malfoy and wanted him to be tried, he was hoping it was the former. He did not dare ask what were the consequences of being bitten by a Veela, but every fiber of his body rebelled against the idea.

Drops of pearly liquid splashed onto the ground, sizzling slightly upon contact. Narcissa didn't seem to mind the waste of venom and showed more of her canines.

They crushed into something hard eventually and Harry recognized it as the trunk of a tree. He cursed his luck and moved to a more defensive position along with Hermione.

His heart hammered against his chest.

That seemed to settle it; Narcissa practically flew onto them, jet-black claws drawn as if to slash into their skin. Harry acted without thinking and ducked under her attack, shooting spells from his wand as he evaded another swipe from her.

One connected and the tree gained four long gashes across its length before the Malfoy was blasted backwards.

Paying no heed to his stupefy, the veela shook off the effects of his spell and stalked in their direction once more in surprising speeds, dodging successfully a series of well-aimed spells thrown in her direction. It was only thanks to Hermione that he was able to keep his head attached to his shoulders that time.

Convinced that Narcissa was mostly ignoring her, Hermione whisked her wand in a high arch and flung her fire whip in her direction. She missed, but the veela had to abort one of her attacks midair, therefore saving Harry's life.

With an amazing spin, the Malfoy matriarch rounded on them midair and aimed for their necks. Harry's Elder Wand's tip was glowing, just seconds before releasing its wrath when the claws suddenly changed direction and sliced at his wrist.

Unfortunately for the young hero, the claws ripped apart skin and tissue, forcing him to drop his wand to tend to his wound as blood gushed from the wound.

Hermione shrieked with rightful indignation and blasted the creature's side with a powerful Reducto. But the Veela wasn't even faced and she turned to sink her menacing fangs into the brunette's neck, never minding the huge gap in her flesh that Hermione had left at such close range.

It all happened in slow-motion- he could see what was happening and Harry made a split of second decision: he would be damned to let his best friend die after accomplishing the impossible earlier that day.

If she bites you, it's game over!

Like hell.

Hermione couldn't be allowed to die. She had to find her parents and restore their memories; she was his best mate's girlfriend and the most brilliant witch he'd ever met in his life; she obviously had a bright future ahead of her and he would be utterly devastated if he didn't do everything in his power to save her; her hugs and playful banter, all would be gone...

He wouldn't survive her best friend's death. He wouldn't…

He wouldn't let her die.

He jumped.

Ignoring the bleeding of his wound, he launched himself against Narcissa Malfoy, making sure to hit her with all his strength against her hacked side, and knocked her off her feet before she had the chance to sink teeth into Hermione's untouched skin.

"HARRY!"

"Hurry!" he yelled.

Harry clenched his eyes shut as the veela struggled furiously against his hold, not quite comprehending how in the world one person could possess so much strength and still have lost half of her blood at the same time.

Hermione caught on quickly, but kept glancing worriedly at him. "Harry, for goodness sake, please don't let her bite you!" she begged, "On the count of three, roll away!"

Harry only grunted his agreement, tensing involuntarily as Narcissa stopped moving all of the sudden.

Then the pain set in.

In the background, he could hear Hermione counting down- "Three, Harry, move!"- but he could only stare as the Malfoy matriarch bit savagely over and over again the flesh of his left arm by his assailant's teeth.

My arm! My arm! his mind stuttered uncomprehendingly.

Thousands of needles spread across his skin, like lava scorching him alive and a bear gutting him mercilessly over and over from his arm to his torso and abdomen and lower and higher...

His head… His poor head!

Harry screamed bloody murder. He kept trying to pull away from the Malfoy feasting on his flesh to no avail.

Somehow finally managing to deck Narcissa Malfoy in her face, he gave a hysteric Hermione full-access to the deranged Malfoy, too much absorbed in his torment to really care when her head exploded into bits of grey matter.

It was as if someone set his whole body on fire and simultaneously dipped him into the Arctic Ocean. His sight darkened considerably as the pain closed on him, even without a veela chewing on his frayed nerves.

Someone stop it! He could feel it: something was coursing through his veins and it was melting him from the inside.

This was Hell.

Someone kneeled beside him and something _fresh and cold_\- thank Merlin- hit his face and rolled down his face.

A bushy mane was all he could see by now and he could practically feel the scent of the person flowing freely into his nostrils, his body trembling in both unthinkable pain and physical ache for that particular aroma. He still hurt and screeched, but he could admittedly say that it felt better being embraced by this person than being confined to suffering alone on the ground.

However, the momentary comfort was taken away from him all too soon. He was whisked away quickly and Harry could only protest in senseless screams as his senses drowned him in the darkness.


	2. Unlike a Dying Man

_Chapter I__: Unlike a Dying Man_

* * *

With a touch that it was bordering in nearly heavenly, Harry Potter shivered with pleasure after so many hours of pure torture. That hand that was massaging his scalp and messing with his hair so lovingly made him want to moan and beg for more, and he would have had he had more energy left in his body. It left a delightful aroma attached to his being, somehow leaving him stoned from exposure and preventing him from concentrating on the state of his painfully cramped physique. Even so, a sharp surge of pain happened from time to time, as his left upper arm beat uncomfortly every now and then. Harry couldn't place why that happened, yet he was glad that it wasn't hurting anymore.

His fingers twitched in response to the ponding injury, causing a reaction out of the person camping by his side to watch his wake.

"Oh, Harry…" The woman to his side breathed silently, but all the same the low whimper reached the aforementioned. His ears perked up in recognition of the voice, stirring his brain in search for answers. That particular expression couldn't be from another but…

_Hermione?_

"I am so, so sorry, Harry-! I saw what was happening and didn't react in time- I wasn't prepared! How could I, if Narcissa snapped like that all of the sudden? The signs were so obvious, though! Their hair colour, their abnormal protectiveness towards their own family, the darkening of their nails-! I just can't believe I couldn't see that! Just why did I have to fail to notice so- so- _bloody _obvious?" Hermione choked mid-sentence, right in the middle of her pity party. Her sobs echoed all the way into his ears, making something near his heart break in desolation. He recognized her reluctance to curse- when she did, something really upsetting happened to her. Hermione's anxiousness did poor things to his body- just when he thought it was all over, his stomach turned unpleasantly. Only the emptiness of his stomach effectively prevented him from being physically sick. "A Veela, right in front of my noses… I still can't believe it!"

The only female member of the Golden Trio paused to catch her breath and hold back her tears, "I am so, so, sorry, Harry… So, so, sorry! I know I have apologised before, but I am really so, so, sorry…" She cried out finally, her speech interrupted by what could be excessive trembling, undoubtedly product of pure emotion.

Harry heard cloth rustling and suddenly both of Hermione's hands rested on top his head, tracing along his features, as if in an effort not to bear hug him like she usually did when she displayed these expressive attacks. Harry shuddered again, his eyes struggling to open. He managed to grunt softly in order to catch her attention and he succeeded as Hermione grew still and her breath caught once again, this time in surprise and relief.

"Harry? Can you hear me?"

His throat hurt, but he finally managed a weak, "Yeah…"

With no restriction whatsoever anymore, the bear hug she had retrained before was employed now. Harry winced as she held him, but dared not protest when his body ached at the strong physical contact. He gently let a hand snake upwards to rest it against her back, mimicking her previous ministrations as he drew circles onto it. In a way, it was shocking how much touching her relaxed him. He had always yearned affection as it was one of the many things that the Dursleys had denied him in his childhood, but not with this much urgency. In fact, most of the time he was reluctant to return hugs, but oddly enough- or not so much? At that moment it felt as natural as breathing- that didn't apply now. Harry sighed in relief when she heard her laugh against his scruff- albeit it was a bit hysterical, he was glad all the same.

They shortly broke contact and drew apart as they gazed into each other's eyes. Harry was mesmerized to find her chocolate orbs glinting with a hint of honey around her enlarged pupil. With her hair being such a mess and frizzing like it wasn't taken care of for days, she looked positively wild- and tired. Those bags underneath her eyes were hard to miss, after all.

As if noticing his scrutiny, Hermione broke all free from his grip, which brought some discomfort in Harry's part, and smiled wryly, "Sorry. Couldn't sleep."

Harry nodded, throat aching for a whole different reason now. He didn't trust his voice to express his concern, but he managed by frowning excessively, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Oh, for goodness sake, Harry. I am fine! It's you who's been in the Hospital Wing for days!"

"Well," The young man grunted, repositioning on his bed, "I wouldn't worry if I could trust you to take care of yourself."

Hermione scoffed mockingly, still looking quite relieved to see him awake, "Men. What's with you and meddling where no one calls you?"

"Oh, you know… I have a certain urge to save people, you said that yourself, remember?"

It was meant to be joking, but the statement caused his friend to freeze perceptively, causing Harry to tense as well. The raven-haired youth shifted his weight nervously in bed as he watched his friend's eyes to fill with tears again.

"Ah, yes. Your hero complex. To take it to such extreme…" She whispered so softly, Harry wondered how on earth he could still hear what she said.

"Hermione…"

"No, Harry… You almost died for that stunt with Narcissa Malfoy," Hermione explained after taking a calming breath. "You almost didn't make it."

Harry grimaced at the declaration, "That bad, huh?"

Hermione's face twisted into one of rage and the next her friend knew, she was right in front of his nose, scowling thoroughly at him, "That's a huge understatement, Harry James Potter! You were bitten by a quarter Veela! Do you know what that means?"

Her victim backed off, suddenly finding himself against a wall and the Devil herself spitting at him. For good measure, Harry lifted weakly both his arms in surrender, marvelling in some small corner of his mind at the fact that he could barely feel the sting of his wound on his left arm. The other, more significant part recoiled in dismay at the usage of his full name. When it came to play, it usually meant that there was a huge told off coming soon after.

"I honestly don't know, Hermione!" He claimed disarmingly, a small hint of desperation lacing his voice.

"Honestly, Harry! Are you saying to tried to take on a transformed Veela without knowing of the consequences?!" Hermione yelled at him, so close he couldn't help but stare hypnotically at her parting lips.

"Consequences?" Harry half-parroted in mid daze.

"You-!"

A deafening slam cut her off and snapped Harry free from whatever stupefied state he had previously been in. Both tensed and turned to find the panting form of the final member of the Golden Trio, panting and puffing at the door of the Hospital Wing. Behind the redhead, both could visualize Ginny Weasley already making their way in the room, soon to be followed by McGonagall, whose stern face appeared to be pleasantly surprised at seeing Harry awake. Hermione flinched and drew further away at their unexpected appearance, to Harry's dismay. She avoided his pointed stare stubbornly, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth in an honest display of apprehension as she gazed into the tiles of the floor. Having no idea what just worried this much his friend, several red flags rose in his head. At the sound of their visitor's steps nearing them, though, he had no choice but pay attention to the entering multitude, feeling strangely on edge and irritated at the same time for their unsuspecting interruption of their privacy.

Ginny, he idly noted, stood awkwardly across his bed, eying him with unhidden apprehension, but still not willing herself to do anything. Such lack of confidence was mildly concerning, but he couldn't find the time to actually voice his thoughts as Ronald Weasley was already speaking to him, "Mate, you alright?"

Harry nodded his response, allowing himself to offer them a reassuring smile, "Yeah, I'm fine, Ron."

"Are you sure, Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall interjected before any further conversation could follow. "Aren't you aware of any significant changes in your… condition?"

"Condition, professor?" Harry mumbled back, frowning at Hogwarts' new Headmistress, inwardly pleading her to be more specific.

"Oh…" Professor McGonagall looked actually shocked at his ignorance, "I assumed Miss Granger had already informed you of the transition, but apparently I was sorely mistaken." The animagus didn't look particularly enthusiastic at the news, nor anyone else in the room, really. All flinched and shifted uncomfortly in place, not knowing how to proceed. The discomfort was more apparent in the Weasleys as McGonagall had long mastered her poker face and Hermione remained eerily unresponsive. Again, Hermione's behaviour unsettled him badly. "Mr. Potter, what do you know about Veela?"

Harry blinked in surprise, a foreboding shiver making its way up and down his spine, but he complied in a slow, cautious voice, "They are magical creatures with an eerily similar complexion that of a normal human… Uh, very attractive; all of them are women-" Hermione's head snapped back to attention, eyes flaring with unknown emotion. Harry paused and watched her reaction carefully, actually stopping his monologue short as he examined her closely. McGonagall had to clear her throat to make him continue, "Erm- Right- They've this allure that makes men crazy for them… And they mate for life…? Uh, that's it, I think? I've never actually researched them and until- days ago, apparently, I've never had the chance of meeting one at a close range…"

With every word he said, the raven-haired young man watched as Hermione slumped even more onto her chair with a defeated air around her. Harry frowned- what was eating her? Was this condition McGonagall spoke about deadly? He dreaded to know the answer, but after years of being kept in the dark he couldn't bear not knowing what was happening around him. If he was to die the next day, he thought he had the right to know.

He turned to McGonagall and fixed her with a stern look, "Professor, what happened? Hermione mentioned that being bitten was a big no before I was actually chewed on like a squeaky toy. Am I dying or something?"

The older woman pursed her lips tightly, "No, don't concern yourself about death, Mr. Potter. You are far from dying if my suspicions stand true."

Harry frowned at her vague answer, but before he could protest a familiar voice rang inside the room, "Harry, you aren't dying, but you aren't exactly yourself either."

He turned in Ginny's direction, eyes widening at the sight of her meek-looking frame. She flinched away from his piercing eyes, looking everywhere but in his direction.

Ron coughed awkwardly to dissolve some of the tension and added helpfully, "Sorry I have to break it out to you, mate, but you've been turned into a Veela."

His input did everything but mollify the situation, however. This time around, Harry offered his bewildered stare to the male redhead. His orbs felt just about to pop out of his sockets, "You have to be bloody kidding me."

Ron shook his head sadly, but didn't do nothing more.

"Harry," This was Hermione speaking, looking as drained as everyone else in the room, "You were out of it for days. The poison was literally killing you so I had to take some steps to save your life."

"Steps?" The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Hermione nodded, her expression changing into one of fear for a change. She kept looking at him with this fearful expression, as if not quite sure how he would react. His body physically recoiled at her look, hurting for some unexplainable reason.

"Y-Yeah," She nodded weakly. Far away from them two, Ginny broke down in tears, only to be comforted by her own sibling as the other duo could do next to nothing to appease her. "The Veela venom was already coursing through your veins and no one could find a cure in time, s-so… I had to- I couldn't not help-" She winced and stopped entirely before erupting in an agitated rant, "Harry, you have to understand! I couldn't let you just die! Not after finally defeating Voldemort! It just wasn't right! You couldn't- right after sacrificing yourself for me- you had no right to die after that stupid display of recklessness!" Hermione choked for a moment, "You said Veelas mate for life- Well, that's true. I had to bind myself to you in order for you to survive, Harry! I had no other choice. If I hadn't, the venom would have finished you off-!"

Harry froze and then reeled mentally. His mind moved slowly as multiple emotions wrestled against each other. On the verge of creating a mental battlefield, Harry could only stare, baffled, at her as she wept. Some part of his mind snarled at the tears and tore at his insides when he made no move to soothe his distressed friend. Nevertheless, his face remained strangely blank as he continued to observe her.

"Miss Granger," The only professor in the room stepped forward and laid her hand on Hermione's shoulder as support to diffuse the situation at least slightly, "I assure you that there wasn't any other way to save Mr. Potter's life. Please calm yourself. Mr. Weasley," She turned to the freckled male- he himself looked quite affected at the turn of events, eyes currently bloodshot and unfocused until he was addressed, "Please escort Ms. Weasley out of the room. If possible, go outside and take your sister in a long walk. You could both use a breather."

Ron pondered a bit before nodding- a simple glance at his distraught sister told him where he would be most help, "I'll see you two in a bit," He informed them, though he would have more success at talking to a wall, as not one took note of their departure. As silently as possible, Ron slammed shut the humongous door of the Hospital Wing, all the while gravely wondering if this strain in their relationship would be the end of the wonderful friendship he had with his dearest friends since the start of their schooling at Hogwarts.

Back inside, Hermione sobbed on and on, to the point that Harry had to speak, else be drilled alive from the inside. He couldn't help but wish he were deaf as he continued to hear the laments of his best friend- now bonded to him?- even as he spoke to Professor McGonagall.

"How bad was it?"

She caught on quickly enough, "Your heart stopped beating two times, Mr. Potter. The Healers had to use Muggle technology in order to resurrect you, but they couldn't find a way to suppress the venom. If it hadn't been for Miss Granger's input, they would have remained clueless of what to do to preserve your life. She was the only one that suggested easing the transition instead of fighting the inevitable. As I recall, Mr. Potter, you had to have some kind of link to life in order to survive, an anchor, if you wish to put it into specific terms. She wasn't sure you would survive another visit of Death," The professor paused minutely for the information to sink in and only after Harry nodded mutely, encouraging her to carry on, did she continue. "That was after the first day. Miss Granger dedicated nearly twenty two hours to find something to aid you against the venom and even then the option wasn't entirely pleasant."

"Ginny wasn't available to do it in time," Hermione surprisingly cut in, dabbing at her wet eyelids, "And I figured you'd be more comfortable if I was the one that initiated the ritual." Finally, chocolate met emerald in a fixed gaze, "There were a lot of people willing to do it, Harry. All willing to bond to the Man-Who-Conquered- not you. Complete strangers, the lot of them. I had to fend away quite a lot of people who managed to sneak in St. Mungos," She huffed, unknowingly puffing her chest proudly at the fact. Harry could only wonder how severe it was, painfully aware of his increased popularity. "To make the story brief, somehow there was a leak and the Daily Prophet tried to attract the public's attention by claiming that only the right woman would be the Chosen One's mate and, you can imagine, a lot of people gathered in St. Mungos, claiming to be 'the one'."

Now it was McGonagall's turn to cough disbelievingly and Hermione smiled in her direction, for whatever reason coming across as grateful to Harry's eyes.

"Sorry, if this upsets you, Harry," Hermione mumbled timidly, "but I wasn't having anything of that. We had to move you to Hogwarts to do the ritual before things got too ridiculous to handle. Ginny wasn't here- she was attending Fred's funeral, you see, and honestly, I can empathise with her, even if she'd never admit it was just too painful to hear your agonised screams for help. So eventually I was the only remaining option. We had to try three times for the ritual to be done correctly, unfortunately," Hermione shivered at the memory before carrying on. "Ron stayed around in the first two, but then he had to go too.

"I couldn't- I couldn't leave you to die, so I had to at least try it. I only ask you not to hate me, Harry. Losing you would have killed me in the long shot."

Her eyes shone brightly, pleading with him wordlessly to forgive her.

"Honestly," Harry said after a long, terse silence, "I don't blame you for what you did, Hermione. What's there to blame? It's thanks to you that I'm alive right now. There isn't anything to forgive- at all, Hermione," He stopped her from speaking by raising his hand. "No, Hermione. You have to understand. I was the one that put you in danger in the first place, so it's only fair that it was me the one that was bitten instead of you. Merlin knows that I couldn't have handled nearly as well as you did…" Harry softened his gaze as she slowly beamed at his acceptance, at first reluctantly but then wholeheartedly- his thin smile gave her the reassurance she needed. It wouldn't do to make her feel guiltier about something she had no choice in, even if he was a bit shocked about the amount of joy tickling at his insides when he saw her smile- really smile. A full-fledged grin on her face was just amazing. It made him want to jump out of the bed and hug her to oblivion. "This just demonstrates how caring you are- Blimey! This goes beyond anything anyone would do for me, definitely!"

Hermione frowned, not noticing how McGonagall retreated approvingly at the turn of events. Harry did notice, but did not spare her more than a glance in her direction as she made her exit, "Ginny was more than willing to do it, Harry," She informed him, once again worrying her lip. "She was so mad at for days- still is, I think. She couldn't believe that I hadn't owled her sooner."

Comprehension downed on Harry, "She confronted you about it?"

"Obviously!" Hermione responded, once again huffing, "I just took away the man she loves- her ex-boyfriend! How could she not be mad at me? Honestly, Harry, I thought you knew better about how women thought!"

"But did she hex you or anything?" Harry dismissed her earlier statement entirely, his eyes darkening inhumanly so. The bushy-haired woman immediately noticed the change, and marvelled at the fact that he wasn't wearing glasses for the first time. His nostrils flared at her blush, a low growl erupted from the recesses of his throat. "Hermione, did she curse you?"

She blinked, clearly snapping out of her stupor, "She tried- Oh, Harry! What are you doing?!"

The male in question threw his covers off him and jumped to the floor, practically stalking to her, a predatory air around his frame.

"She hexed you."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Hermione frowned and was quick to deny it, "Key word was 'try', Harry-"

"Try," He repeated, his eyes pure obsidian by now. A glance at his nails revealed them to be morphing into deadly claws. His voice resounded around them, promises of pain sensible to anyone who could hear his warning. "She would have, if something hadn't prevented it," He took both of her hands into his in a tight, yet gentle and caring grip.

"I wasn't hurt, Harry," Hermione muttered, torn at revelling at the contact of his hands offered and panic at how erratic his behaviour was turning to be. The air seemed hotter and oddly relaxing- which meant, her inner analytical mind said, that some Veela hormones were being employed unconsciously by her friend. "She had every right to try, though."

"No," That was an outright roar, "Don't you ever say that, Hermione."

Hermione paused; panic positively winning the battle after seeing him snarl so openly at her response. Realization downed on her- his protective instincts were coming through in the same way Narcissa reacted at the sight of the Elder Wand threatening her son's life. Being his mate would change their interaction deeply, despite any other facades telling otherwise. This was what Harry had been turned into and Hermione couldn't question the fact that further appearances will take place in the future.

Anything hostile to her would answer to him. Hermione didn't know if the thought excited her or terrified her.

"Harry," She murmured softly, caressing his knuckles carefully and as slowly as possible to catch his attention. She couldn't do more since his grip on her was tight and strong at the moment, "I'm fine. Ginny wasn't serious when she tried to curse me," Harry growled instantly despite her assurances, "This is Ginny we are talking about, Harry! She wouldn't do anything to me- not really. You know that, Harry…"

The jet-black mist in his eyes retracted slightly in response to her soothing tone, a hint of humanity and emerald shining through as he regained control over his instincts. She felt him wrap both his arms around her middle possessively, but she couldn't bring herself to mind. It was quite possible that it was the Veela hormones talking, but she couldn't feel more at ease than she felt in that instant. To help him in his struggle, Hermione cooed softly, leaning closer so he felt more comfortable with his mate closer to his bulk. It was imperative that he sensed no hostility nearby and what a better way to show that than having his bonded mate touching him intimately?

Harry sighted shakenly after a minute and Hermione took that as cue to draw away from him, but not detach herself completely from him. Her hands continued with her ministrations, eliciting a moan of pleasure from him.

"Sorry," Harry apologized meekly, looking straight into her eyes. His orbs were back to normal and she had to smile at the reproachful look he was giving her. "It took me by surprise- the instincts- uh…"

Hermione nodded comprehendingly, trying to tune down the effects of the hormones he was exuding since his mild transformation, "This will be complicated. For both of us, at least."

* * *

_A/N: An update! __Yay!_

_I'm quite satisfied with this chapter. I poured a lot of work into it and it came out wonderfully! As always, keep your eyes peeled for any grammar mistakes. Until I find a willing beta reader I will continue to put my foot into my mouth. Also, tell me if there's someone too OCC for your liking and I'll see what I can do!_

_Blimey! I can't believe the attention this story has gained since its post! 10 reviews, 18 favourites and 52 follows? Unbelievable, but wicked! The amount of support is surreal, guys! Thank you so very much! I hope you appreciate the new chapter, tell me what you think!_

_Especial thanks to __**anarion87, pawsrule, Cibbler, Tzintzuntzan, shamzika, Guest, starboy454, Beyondthesea16, Haruko Kakikomi and hhrforever!**__I love reviews- reviews are life :3 I love them even more if they are filled with constructive criticism, they are helpful when I want to grow as an author!_

_**Shamzika:**__ if you could be more specific and tell me where you think things are more unclear that will help me a great deal. I know I am far than perfect and I will do my best to render this piece at least coherent for you, my readers, to understand what's going on._

**_Haruko Kakikomi: _**_Yeah, it's really sad when there's little to none of this kind fics about this couple in a mate/Veela situation. And the ones I read about Dramione are mostly unfinished. It's a pity. If you want to read another Veela story, though unfinished as well, there's __**rupali100's Denique Una**__. It's H/Hr and a little over the top sometimes, but a great way to pass time if you are into stories like this one._

_Well, then! Until the next update! _

_Cheers!_


	3. Go round, round, round

**A/N:** I wanted to illustrate the ritual and the inner struggle Hermione had with the whole situation. Hopefully, I managed to do it. On another note, we all know that Harry is too noble to just suddenly accept his lust for Hermione. But that will come. Promise!

Sorry for the delay. I needed the inspiration!

This chapter features Veela!Harry too, don't worry!

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Yoooo! Does J.K. Rowling support H/HR? No? Aww... too bad.

* * *

_**-Chapter Three-**_

_**Go round, round, round**_

* * *

_Veelas, as a general rule, are to be bonded to the one they are destined to. It isn't a choice, per se, but a necessity, as they will definitely die without the fully accepting presence of a mate in their life. After much investigation, it was determined that their blood is essential for their bodies to adapt to the change and the lack of it causes their own body cells to turn against them and coerce their life force to be drained from them._

_The chemical process that results in their deaths is similar to the original transformation, meaning that there's time to prevent the demise of the magical creature. However, that does not mean that the methods available are infallible._

_There are three ways to force a bonding and only after the creature has begun feeling the after effects of their mate's rejection would it be possible to start the counter measures._

_It has yet to be found a way to mate a Veela with a member of the same sex, so it's strongly suggested that there's a willing partner of the opposite sex to mate with the Veela in question, keeping in mind that in doing so the volunteer is binding themselves to a lifetime of commitment. Producing offspring and cutting off any other relationships are involved in the matter, as Veela are very sexual creatures, with a very keen instinct to possess._

_The volunteer has to be conscious of these facts before even attempting to proceed._

* * *

Small and nimble, Hermione's hand snatched quickly the letter the owl was offering to her. She took little notice of the indignant barks the beige owl was screeching at her, in response to her blatant disregard of it.

Hermione's eyes were fixed on the letter.

_Hermione,_

_Ginny isn't available right now. She's literally all over the place helping out with the funeral, being a bloody menace over here. I doubt she registered that you had sent a letter to her yet, sorry. I promise I will try to tell her your message._

_Until then,_

_Ron_

"Sorry," She apologized meekly to the anonymous owl and reached for his treat. The owl huffed, but accepted it happily. The messenger took off immediately after.

She brought both hands over her face. It had become almost impossible for her to resist the urge to cry now. She felt incredibly lost. What was she supposed to do now that Harry needed Ginny's blood to take a shot at the bonding ritual?

"What am I going to do?" She asked no one in particular in a heart-breaking sob. The Owlery was strangely quiet to the sounds of her weeping. Even so she felt the weight of the accusing round eyes tracing her form, as if the animals there knew of her guilt in Harry's fatal plight.

* * *

Blood. A willing partner to mate with. A deep connection to the between the bonders. She could be the anchor to bond Harry's soul to life again. She filled the requirements perfectly. But that didn't prevent her from feeling particularly guilty as she recalled the face of her absent redheaded friends.

Not even Neville and Luna were aware of what was going to happen. They were still recovering in St. Mungos.

Merlin. She hoped they would forgive her. Neville, Luna, Ron… G-Ginny… Harry. Harry…

"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall's voice broke her out of her distraught thoughts. She eyed her with worry as she took in her puffy, red eyes. "Poppy has placed everything in order. It's time."

Hermione nodded. It was time.

The Hospital Wing was the only safe haven for Harry at the moment. Heavily warded against any nosey intruders, the doors were the only thing that muffled the amount of suffering Harry was going through.

Madam Pomfrey looked every bit as tired as she felt. With dark bangs under her eyes and her dishevelled garments, she looked as Death had warmed over. Immediately, as soon as she spotted her, she jumped from the bed she was sitting in, coincidentally it being Harry's bed. The young wizard in question was bound with a powerful body bind on the floor, to keep his seizures from harming him.

Nothing had proved to be enough to muffle the screaming, though.

"All is ready."

Hermione closed her eyes and opened them with renewed determination. Pointedly, she avoided looking in Harry's direction for now.

"Okay. I'll need a bit of privacy then."

Both of the women vacillated for a bit before they agreed to her wishes. They knew she would be in the nude soon and that she no desire to let others see her so vulnerable this soon after the Battle.

Professor McGonagall stopped at the door before she informed her evenly, "there will be wards at the door that will prevent anyone from entering or hearing what is happening inside. I need to remind you, Miss Granger… You will be on your own as soon as I close this door."

Hermione knew as much, "is there a cushioning charm on the floor? Just in case Harry gets out of these ropes, I mean."

McGonagall shook her affirmative.

"Yes, Miss Granger… Good luck… To both of you."

The bang of the door made her move again. Shaking, she lifted the fabric covering her breasts over her head and let it fall to the floor. Following swiftly, her jeans deserted her and joined her T-shirt there. There were no knickers on her, no bras to cover her, nothing whatsoever. Her nipples perked, unprotected against the merciless force of the breeze flowing inside the room. The book had established a no-clothes rule. She intended to follow its instructions to a tee no matter how embarrassing.

"_Encomensio_," she muttered.

Magic hummed in the air and made her surroundings glow softly, as if watching closely what she was doing. Anticipation and tension rose in her throat and threatened to make her choke in her own saliva, but she eventually regained control over herself. She was vaguely aware of the fact she was perspiring bullets of sweat as she neared the centre of the room, where Harry was resting as immobile as the ropes constricting him let him.

The _Muffliato _was straining to contain all the shrieks, tears and pain beneath it. Even now, she could hear him mildly over the soft ringing in her ears. She didn't dare lift it. Instead she knelt besides him and took the ritual dagger Madam Pomfrey had left her, leaving her wand lying on the floor.

_Blood is essential to the Veela kind. It aids them in the transformation, their life and birth. Bonding with a Veela must involve blood exchange for it to be effective._

A simple _Diffindo _would have sufficed, but Madam Pomfrey had insisted on being traditional, hence the dagger as it had specific runes that would aid her in the ritual. It caressed her skin dearly, as if anxious to sink its teeth on her flesh. The blade was cool against the touch and Hermione couldn't help but shiver in apprehension.

She could do this!

Her face scrunched up. Her hand stilled just enough for the dagger to cut freely into her forearm without severing any relevant arteries pulsing in there.

That didn't stop it from being painful, however.

Hermione hissed and clutched her arm in pain. She let the dagger fall onto the ground, only to bounce a few times because of the cushioning charm McGonagall had informed her about. Her blood rained over it immediately after that.

Reciting every ingredient of the Polyjuice Potion, Hermione gritted her teeth and guided her forearm to Harry's face.

The aforementioned stilled as soon as it perceived the blood dripping with both his hearing and smell and tilted his face in her direction.

Harry was indeed a Veela. He had stopped writhing as soon as she had cut herself, even though he was still in pain. Hermione wondered how long it would take for him to bite her with his fangs and begged for it not to too painful for her to bear.

"I offer my blood, my body and soul to you voluntarily," Hermione spoke through gritted teeth. Inside her chest, her heart ponded as if she had run a marathon and her lungs felt slightly winded as she felt her magic reach his. Her mouth let out a sharp breath when she felt his wrap itself around hers like a vice and they started merging with each other. His magic felt so wild… and it coated her thoroughly now. "Harry James Potter, I'll be your mate as long as I live. I offer to you my womb for you to plant your seed. I offer to you my dedication and devotion as a loving mate and mother to your offspring. I willingly and explicitly state now and for the rest of my life that I am and will be for the rest of my life yours and yours alone, as I will be severing all carnal attachments to any third parties. My life is yours if you will have me, so mote it be."

His magic swirled wildly around them and started dragging the blood droplets to Harry's mouth. He swallowed heavily with need and ecstasy and for the first time in two days she saw his eyes open wide. Only this time they weren't forest green- if anything they were pitch black. The ropes around his body rippled as he struggled against their hold. He snarled out frustration when he realized he couldn't reach her and instead glared hungrily at her naked body.

He lapped at his lips when he saw that she was starkers.

Hermione continued, not wanting to show the inner Veela just how intimidated she felt when it twisted her friend's features like that. That leer was so wrong in so many levels.

She knelt in front of him and offered her arm to his mouth, turning it so that her blood fell into his parted lips freely. Instantly, he gulped and his pale complexion regained some of his normal pigment. His obsidian pools never stopped looking at her, though. They made her shudder involuntarily. So inhuman, so _beautiful._

The witch knew that she needed to let him bite her, so she brought her arm nearer. His panting accelerated. His body movements turned more erratic as he struggled against his bonds. Hermione wasn't worried; she herself had checked the effectiveness of those ropes. Harry wouldn't be going anywhere.

"Bite me," she whispered.

_Griffindors charge, Hermione._

Hermione shivered. That voice had sounded awfully like Harry's.

"Have me, Harry," she sobbed.

_I don't want you to die._

This was the thrice ritual she attempted on her best friend. She pled that this was the correct one. She hadn't gathered this much of his attention before. To think this could fail…

_Focus!_

Surprisingly, her withering friend released a long whine, looking strangely torn for being immersed in a bloodlust haze.

She heeded his hesitation with panic. The thought that somehow she had butchered this ritual too brought her arm closer, almost to the point of shoving her limb inside the Veela's mouth.

"Bite me!"

His onyx eyes stared back at her, looking utterly bewildered and worried. _Worried about what?_

"Come on! Bite me, Harry! Not the time to be noble!" She cried. Her eyes wandered about his form, looking at the purplish hues marring his skin unyieldingly. His bite mark was painfully obvious even under layers of ropes. Harry's arm was in such a state, she had to look away.

She dropped her offered arm in defeat to the floor. Hiccups and sobs shook her to the core. The female member of the Golden Trio punched the stone floor in frustration, paying no mind to her bloodied knuckles when she raised her fist for fourth time. In fact, she didn't stop until she registered the urgent yammers coming from Harry.

Defeated, she dabbed at her eyes, careless of the smeared blood on her hand or the pain of her cracked knuckles.

He didn't want her. He didn't want her as her mate. And that hurt. That hurt a lot for some unexplainable reason.

Hermione hadn't missed how Harry had been looking for Ginny in the Marauder's Map when they were on the Hunt. She'd been correct to assume he wanted her to partake the role of volunteer in this ritual.

"I need Ginny," she muttered. "It's the only way…"

Her mind plotted furiously for ways to return the redhead to Hogwarts. Surely, if she detailed what she had done and what his reaction had been, Ginny would be far more willing to-

"Her-"

She jumped and turned to gawk at Harry incredulously. He was mouthing something awkwardly, flexing his jaw in such an odd way she found herself wondering if he'd somehow gotten it dislocated without her noticing.

"Her-Meoone…"

"Close enough," she breathed.

Veela-Harry didn't smile at her comment or grimace awkwardly as she would have expected her Harry to have done normally. Instead he fixed his pitch black stare into her orbs as he tried to move his mouth accordingly to the message he was struggling to break through his unwilling vocals.

"You…" He rasped slowly, as if testing the waters. "Fine…?"

Her breath caught in her throat. Unbelievable. Even midst his Veela state Harry selflessly inquired about her health? Hermione wanted to laugh hysterically. _She was definitely not fine. _And neither was he.

"Harry…" She said and gulped forcefully to get past that knot in her throat. "Can you understand me?"

He didn't blink or react to her question, just continued to stare worriedly at her. She sighed.

"I'm fine."

Veela-Harry let out something akin to a purr and let his face relax if just slightly. Hermione felt her muscles respond to the sound, relaxing mildly as well.

"I need to fetch Ginny," she mumbled, eying him warily. "Can you wait a few minutes? I'll make a floo call and return immediately."

_"NO."_

Hermione stared at the fierce expression on his face with apprehension. She hadn't anticipated such a vehement refusal to the redhead's presence.

"Why not?" She asked rather stupidly, in her opinion.

"You… stay…" He growled.

Hermione stopped to stare at him. She somehow didn't mind the fact that this onyx-eyed version of her best friend was ogling her nude figure, but the cold was slowly but surely taking a toll on her. She shivered again, rubbing her sides with her crossed arms.

"W-Well, what do you want me to do then? You don't want to bite me and I can't help you if you don't want me to help you this way! You need a blood link at the very least to keep you going or otherwise you won't make it past the transformation-" She rambled. From the blank expression on his face, she now knew that this veela part of Harry wasn't as intelligent as she had first supposed. She breathed and paused, working herself up in order to find a solution to this whole mess. "My point being… You," she pointed at a finger at him, "need someone's blood." She lifted her entire arm up, leaving the red thick substance now trailing down her limb in plain sight.

"Neck_."_

Hermione blinked, "excuse me?"

Veela-Harry snarled and tried to tear the ropes open from the inside out again to no avail.

"_Neck,_" he repeated. The creature turned his head to the side, exposing his bruised flesh on the left side of his neck before throwing her a pointed look in her direction.

Her mouth dropped open in a perfect round shape. As realization hit her, her eyes widened to an almost impossible size.

"You want to drink from my neck?"

Harry didn't react. It was like talking to a wall, for goodness sake!

She rose tentatively, listening to the excited panting of her ritual partner as she approached. The blackness of his orbs seemed to darken even more when she was at a reaching distance despite his bounds.

He moved, nimble, but slowly towards her pulsing arteries, opening his mouth a small fraction and letting his tongue flow freely out of it.

Hermione held her breath expectantly, grimacing slightly when she felt the wet appendage licking her skin. Veelas did that when they had a partner to feed from, she reminded herself quickly, as their saliva had the necessary chemicals to numb the pain when it came.

The weight of the entire situation fell on her suddenly. She was bounding herself to this person- Harry, her best friend- in a completely sexual way. The thought wouldn't have bothered her as much if Harry hadn't expressed his platonic feelings towards her. As much as she wished to she couldn't bring herself to mind the change in their relationship. In fact, she was rather enjoying the way his magic was caressing hers intimately, evoking sensations that no kisses from Ron had aroused- ever. What was worrying, though, was: would Harry, human Harry, feel the same way? Or would he feel utterly violated for making a reckless decision without asking him first?

Her heart grew heavy when her mind jumped to conclusions.

She didn't move away, but her mouth was moving before she was even conscious of her action.

"Harry," she called softly. She stifled a moan when his magic pressed against her and his sharp teeth nibbled on her skin softly enough not to break skin. Hermione reminded herself to focus. "Are you sure you want this?"

No answer. Not that she expected any. Instead she got a guttural sound that made her weak on her knees. The sheer possessiveness of it made her want to melt into a puddle of goo.

In the back of her mind, she realized that her best friend was buried somewhere deep inside of his subconscious. She had little to no chance of contacting his human part whilst they did this. Hermione hoped that he would forgive her.

"Harry…" she whimpered.

The Veela broke away from her momentarily to sniff appreciatively at her neck. His growl told her things he wouldn't have been able to utter even when he had been in his most sane moments. His appreciation for her scent was apparent the more he pressed himself against her.

"Harry…" she whimpered, but for a whole another reason altogether.

This was purely intimate and primitive, but she couldn't deny how _right_ it felt. He wasn't the only one aroused there. She was positively flushed and panting. Soon, she found herself clenching her legs together, inwardly wishing she hadn't bound his hands or legs.

She could smell the heavenly scent of his venom dripping from his fangs before he dug them into her bloodstream. She waited for him in anticipation and desire, involuntarily holding back her breath.

He didn't disappoint.

His fangs pierced without halting and she sucked back a scream of delight when he purred against her neck in his own ecstasy. Black spots appeared on her vision as he sucked, but she hardly cared. She was in the middle of a venom-induced orgasm.

* * *

**Outtake**: 'cuz I didn't like it and I will change something I overlooked. :P

_Harry tossed in his bed for the fifth time in a row. He had been in bed for an hour and he still found it incredibly hard to lay still and allow his mind to fall unconscious._

_He could smell her. He could smell her even from the male dormitory dorms. He could hear her sigh and move around in her blissful sleep. Godric, he could even hear her even heartbeat from here! How was he supposed to sleep when he grew more restless the more he listened to her?_

_It was incredibly hard not to act on the pull that bound them together. Over the last two days, the urge to act upon it continued to get increasingly stronger; even if they had been practically attached to hip to hip from the day he had awakened._

_Hermione had warned him of his new Veela attributes, but he found himself wondering if she truly knew the extent of his attraction to her._

_Sure, he was somehow thrilled that he was physically stronger and that his reflexes were better than anyone inside the human scale, but the burdening appeal of desiring Hermione like this was nothing short of troublesome._

_For instance, he had spontaneous boners. Those appeared in truly inconvenient times and always when Hermione had initiated some kind of contact with him. Even her muttering his name on her sleep was arousing. He had already given up on that matter, resigned to wank it off when he could and ignore the problem when he couldn't. Anyone from the male species would sympathise with him, he gathered; it was extremely uncomfortable. And vexing. He had never wanted her in this way and yet here he was, lusting after his bounded best friend on a daily basis._

_His mate._

_Harry shook his head and put a hand over his forehead in distress._

_"Harry…" he heard Hermione moan from the other side of the wall._

_He muffled a groan of his own and tossed over to his side, wanting more than ever to crawl inside her bed and settle under her covers._

_He felt every ounce of the creep he had forcibly been turned into._

* * *

**Fic recommendation: **You're my Density by robst


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